Fluid-operated rotary prime mover.



G. H. ALEXANDER & W. G ROBINSON.

FLUID OPERATED ROTARY PRIME MOVER.-

APPLICATION FILED OCT.18, 1913. 1,087,861. Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH C0.. WASHINGTON. 0. cv

' 1,087,861 Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co wnsmuc'roN. D. c.

G. H. ALEXANDER & W. G. ROBINSON.

FLUID OPERATED ROTARY PRIME MOVER. I

APPLICATION FILED 001m, 1913.

1,087,861 Patented Feb.'17, 1914.

4 SHEETS-BHEET 3.

G. H. ALEXANDER & W. G. ROBINSON.

FLUID OPERATED ROTARY PRIME MOVERL APPLIOATIONPILED 0GT.18, 1913.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W, n, m w m M r w STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE HENRY ALEXANDER AND WILLIAM GILBERT ROBINSON, 0F BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

FLUID-OPERATED ROTARY PRIME MOVER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1914-.

Application filed Getoeer 18, 1913. Serial No. 795,890.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, GEORGE HENRY ALEXANDER and WILLIAM GILBERT ROBIN- SON, subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing, respectively, at Doe street Birmingham, England, and at 5 Elm Cottages, Falconer Road, Birmingham, England, engineers, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Fluld-Operated Rotary Prime Movers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to such fluid operated rotary prime movers as rotary internal combustion, steam, water and air engines, of the type in which a pair of cylinders and pistons is arranged parallel with each of a pair of axes mounted at an angle to each other, and the pistons are connected by suitable links with the members of a Hookes or universal joint situated at the junction of the axes.

The object of the present invention is to provide improved arrangements of the components of the machine and insure efiicientlubrication of the parts dilficult of access.

in the four accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 a plan with part in section of a petrol or like engine constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the engine. Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are respectively transverse sections of the engine on the lines 1.2, 3.4, 5.6, and 7.8 (Fig.

In the construction of a petrol or like engine as shown, which is adapted, more es pecially, for aeroplanes, both pairs of cylinders a are mounted each upon a hollow fixed cantaliver bearing shaft 6. The two bearing shafts are each fixed at one end in a bearing block a secured to the frame or bed d of the machine, and the portions projecting toward each other from the bearing blocks are each made of suilicient length to carry a pair of cylinders. The cylinders are cast together with or secured to a central bearing sleeve 6 which is placed over the cantaliver shaft. By this means the main driving shaft and dummy shaft it are relieved of the weight of the cylinders, and as such weight is taken entirely by the cantaliver shafts a durable and rigid mounting for the cylinders is obtained. Preferably both cantaliver shaft are made to project toward each other as far as possible in order to obtain the greatest permissible length of hearing for the cylinders, suilicient space being left between the adjacent ends of the said shafts to accommodate the rotating cross head f towhich the various pistons are coir nected. In a modification the cross head is formed with a central aperture which permits the fixed shafts supporting the cylinder to be united at their adjacent ends, thus affording still greater rigidity to the engine.

The main driving shaft 9 and dummy shaft h are situated within the fixed cantaliver shafts, and the main driving shaft is extended sufficiently beyond the outer end of its cantaliver shaft to permit the mounting of a coupling or pulley thereon. For effectively lubricating the parts which are diilicult of access a fixed bush 2' is inserted between the main driving shaft and the cantaliver shaft, and on the exterior of the bush are cut grooves j which communicate with passages or apertures as 71: formed in or arranged in conjunction with the cantaliver shaft, such passages being in communication either directly or by means of pipes as Z with the parts to be lubricated. On the outer end of the bush collars m are formed with apertures n communicating with the grooves aforesaid, and inserted in or arranged, in conjunction with the collar apertures are lubricant receptacles of any con venient type. The bush enables the desired distribution of oil to the various parts to be obtained very conveniently, and when required to be cleaned it can easily be with drawn and exposed by endwise movement along the driving shaft. A similar lubricat ing bush is inserted around the dummy shaft.

For convenient introduction of the fuel to the various cylinders the fixed block 0 is utilized. The part of the block which projects beyond the frame member on which it is mounted is of cylindrical form, and upon it is mounted a cylindrically bored valve piece 0 in which passages are provided communicating with the engine cylinders. Such valve piece 0 may be formed integrally with the cylinder end covers shown, and is constructed with passages communicating with the engine cylinders hereinafter described, or in any other convenient manner. The fixed block 0 is chambered internally to form an annular space 7) with the cantaliver shaft, and. such space communicates by radial apertures g with an external segmental groove 1*. Fuel is admitted through a suitable opening 5 in the valve block to the annular space, and thence it can pass through the radial apertures and the external annular groove to the inlet ports of the engine cylinders. lVithin the block between the annular space aforesaid and the periphery is formed another annular chamber t which communicates with a port a in the periphery of the block and also with an outlet aperture '2; to permit the passage therethrough from the engine cylinders of the exhaust gases. By arranging the annular chamber for the fuel around the cantaliver shaft? excessive heating of the latter by the heat given up from the exhaust gases passing thr ugh the valve block is avoided. The engine illustrated is a two-stroke engine of the type in which the outer end of each working cylinder is formed with a charge compressing cylinder (4. The charge from a suitable carbureter passing through the groove r gains access to one of the compression cylinders by way of a passage 10. After compression it passes to the opposite working cylinder by a passage 50 when the inlet port 3 is uncovered by the piston in that cylinder. Simultaneously the exhaust gases escape from that cylinder through the port and passage 2, whence they gain access to the outlet 4; through the ports a. We desire it to be understood that the arrangements of the various passages is not essential to this invention as these may be varied. Preferably, however, the control of the fuel admission and exhaust is eifected by the retation of the valve piece 0 around the part 0 causing the fuel inlet and exhaust passages to be opened and closed at the proper times. The return flow of the fuel mixture is prevented by the surfaces between the parts 0 and 0 and any slackness due to wear at such surfaces may prevent the attainment of the necessary high degree of compression in the cylinders a. T 0 permit of variation of the length of the piston strokes, the dummy shaft cylinders and associated parts are mounted in a movable frame 3 which is hinged at at and permits the obliquity of the dummy shaft to be varied through any re quired range. The adjustment of the frame 3 is effected by a fluid actuated plunger 5, the cylinder of which is fixed to the frame of the machine while the plunger is connected to the block a. 'When the dumn y shaft is situated in alinement with the driving shaft no motion of the pistons can occur. When by adjustment of the frame the dummy shaft is situated at an angle to the driving shaft the pistons can operate, and increase of obliquity is attended by increase of stroke.

The invention is not limited to internal combustion engines as it may advantageously be applied to a variety of fluid operated machines of the type specified. Further, any type of internal combustion engine working on any cycle may be employed, such as a four-stroke engine, with any suitable arrangement of parts for controlling the operation of the engine. In the engine described no particulars of igniting mechanism are given as any suitable means may be employed for this purpose. Other accessory features or etail portions are likewise not referred to as these form no part of the invention.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In fluid operated rotary prime movers, the combination comprising a pair of cylinders, a central bearing sleeve between the cylinders, a fixed hollow cantaliver bearing shaft upon which the sleeve and cylinders rotate, a bearing block in which one end of the said bearing shaft is fixed, and a rotatable shaft passing along the interior of the bearing shaft, substantially as described.

2. In fluid operated rotary prime movers, the combination comprising a pair of cylinders, a central bearing sleeve between the cylinders, a fixed hollow cantaliver bearing shaft upon which the sleeve and cylinders rotate, a bearing block in which the said bearing shaft is fixed, the said bearing block being provided with fuel inlet and exhaust passages, a rotatable shaft passing along the interior of the bearing shaft, and a *alve piece mounted to turn around the said bearing block and controlling the inlet and exhaust of the fuel.

3. In fiuid operated rotary prime movers,

the combination with a bearing block secured to the frame of the machine, and having fuel inlet and exhaust passages, of a hollow cantaliver bearing shaft fixed at one end in said bearing block, a pair of cylinders, a central bearing sleeve between the cylinders, the sleeve and cylinders being mounted to turn on the other end of said bearing shaft, a rotatable shaft passing through the bearing shaft, the said bearing block having a cylindrical portion, a cylindrically bored valve piece mounted to turn on the cylindrical portion of the bearing block, and provided with passages communicating with the engine cylinders, the said valve piece being integral with the cylinder ends and controlling the inlet and exhaust of the fuel. 7 41-. In fluid operated rotary prime movers, the combination with a hollow cantaliver bearing shaft, and a rotatable shaft within the bearing shaft of a non-rotatable grooved lubricating bush inserted between the said rotatable shaft and the bearing shaft, and means for conveying oil to the grooves in the bush and from the grooves to the parts to be lubricated, substantially as described.

5. In fluid operated rotary prime movers, the combination With the machine frame, a pair of cylinders, a central bearing sleeve between the cylinders, a hollow cantaliver bearing shaft upon Which the said cylinders rotate, and a bearing block in Which the bearing shaft is fixed, of a frame hinged to the machine frame and carrying the said cylinders, shaft and bearing block a cylinder fixed to the machine frame, and a fluid actuated plunger in said cylinder and connected With the bearing block for moving the said hinged frame, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE HENRY ALEXANDER. WILLIAM GILBERT ROBINSON Htnesses EDWARD MARKS, FRANCIS MALrAs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,-

Washington, D. C. 

